The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-04-22
BOARD OF TRADE MEETING.

4 ihcIO wan idfSo dItcuuouCo ~ Iue
Board of Trade this morning. and the
meeting was interesting throughout. The
secretary submitted his annual report,
which was read and approved. Accord
ing to the report, Mankato has enjoyed
healthy and substantial growth during
the past year. There are some indus
tries which the secretary was unable to
include in his report at this meeting, but
he will have the same ready in
a short time.
The secretary was instructed to ascer-
tain the cost of 1000, 500 and 10000
pamphlets containing his report.
The hote; committee reported that
| they had been unable to see Mr.. Hol-
brook in regard TO his intentions. At
this point considerable talk was INDUCED
i'm by different members Of the Board,
relative to the hotel project. 1t seemed
to be the opinion of different members
present, that undue influence had been
brought to bear on Mr.. Holbrook to dis
courage him from building, and it was
decided to have the committee wait upon
Mr.. Holbrook and to find out definitely
his plans. AS the Board had been to
considerable pains in raising the bonus,
and had pledged their word that the
building was to be bona fide, therefore it
was no more than what was due the
timetable of the Board of Trade that they
shoald know all the facts in the case, and
if certain parties had discouraged Mr..
Holbrook in his project, to asce rtain the
facts ardsif possible, to override any
such influence.
| The committee consisting of Messrs.
Pope, Willard and Moore, who repre-
scented the Board Of Trade at the meet
ing at Faribahh last week, submitted
their report. -
Mr.. Pope, as, chairman, stated that
there we're 81 towns represented at the
meeting. They completed the organize
ton of the Business Mems Association,
their object being TO protect the interests
of the different cities represented from
railroad discrimination, and that the diff
ferent cities should receive the full ben
efits of the Interstate Commerce law.
The long and short haul clause of the
bill was discussed at length. Mr.. Will
lard called the attention of the Board to
the importance of the law, stating that it
was one of the greatest necessaries now
before the public. The meeting at Far
ibault was very enthusiastic, and all
present were glad that Mankato was in
cooperation with the other cities repre-
sented. 1T was decided to hold meet
ing at Ma1kato June eth and 9Th, when
it is expdetea there will be at least 100
delegates HIesent from different parts OF
the State, and the matter will be agitated
and the wrongs of the cities against
whom there has been railroad discrimi-
nation in the past fully brought be-
fore the meeting.
The secretary of the Board of Trade
was instructed to cxtand an invitation
to the Railroad Coussaissianers of the
State to visit Mankato ut an early date.
The secretary was instructed to tele-
graph the Interstate Commission at
Washington. Secretary Chapman framed
the following dispatch, which was sent:
Hon. j. N. Cooley, Chairman Interstate Commerce
Commission, Washington, ID. C.:
am instructed respectfully to request
your committee, that prior to granting
any request for suspension of section
Four az of Interstate Commerce Law
as applied to any part of the State of
Minnesota, you will grant hearing to
the interests represented by this Board,
which is the interests of our State at
large, and that if practically convenient
you will appoint a meeting for such pur-
| pose within this State.
[Signed] c. A. CHAPMAN,
Secretary Mankato Board of Trade.
| IfBoards of Trades in other portions
of the State would take action similar to
that adopted by the Mankato Board, it
might, and probably would, have the
effect of preventing any hasty action
derogatory to interior points being taken
by the the National Commission. The
suggestion is at least worthy the consid-
Grafton of our neighbors.
The Board are thoroughly alive to the
necessity of new hotel, and the matter
will not be allowed to drop.
| Adjourned.